Children, teens, and adults alike spend a large number of hours gaming nowadays. It involves using electronic games or video games that are played on various gaming consoles such as the Playstation and Xbox. Children and adults play video games as for recreation, for relaxation, and enjoyment, and as a way to hang out with friends. Adults use gaming to help themselves de-stress from their daily routine, feel a sense of achievement, let out frustration, exert control, and keep themselves from getting bored. It is also possible to earn money by gaming if you are a pro, and some gamers even make a career out of it.
The Posture While Gaming
Since gaming can be a super intense activity during which you are often glued to the screen and stuck to your seat. You are often connected to other gamers online via headphones and microphones, as many others are playing the same game with you. Due to this reason, certain gamers and their families find that they are spending too much time in their rooms sitting on the same seat while gaming. While obviously spending all day in front of the screen has its disadvantages, it is also not recommended to remain sitting for extended hours.
Disadvantages Of Prolonged Sitting
There are many disadvantages of prolonged sitting and people who spend too much time sitting behind a desk or those who are into gaming remain seated for long hours. This is not recommended as it can negatively affect the body. The following are the disadvantages of sitting for extended periods:
Increased Risk Of Heart Disease
Sitting for long hours can cause an increase in cholesterol levels, raises blood pressure and can be a direct risk for heart disease. People who spend most of their day sitting engage in limited activity and exercise, which can be detrimental to their heart and can result in an increased risk of heart disease. In a study that was conducted between transit drivers, who sat all day long while driving and guards who were required to stand, the drivers had a higher incidence of heart disease than the guards who did not sit all day long.
Bad For Posture
Sitting for extended periods is bound to wreck your posture. People who spend more than 6 hours a day sitting in an incorrect posture are sure to develop musculoskeletal problems and back problems due to spinal misalignment and inadequate support of the back. It is recommended that people who sit for extended periods take frequent breaks, get up from their seats, take a walk, or do gentle stretches to ensure their body remains active and moving. Sitting in one place in an incorrect posture can be damaging for your back and spine.
Increased Risk Of Diabetes
Sitting all day changes the way your body reacts to insulin and causes a rise in blood sugar levels. This is also because due to a lack of physical exercise and movement, you are burning fewer calories which tends to spike up blood sugar, causing an increased risk for diabetes.
Obesity
Sitting all day long leaves you no time to exercise and move your body. Limited movement and exercise reduce the number of calories you burn and hence cause obesity in prolonged sitters. People whose jobs are demanding and require them to sit all day long must take frequent breaks, invest in an under-desk treadmill or a bike to get some exercise in or invest in a standing desk. It is also recommended to stand up and walk while using the phone or thing else that does not require you to look at a screen. It is essential to take frequent breaks and allow your body to rest and stretch.
Increases Back Problems
Sitting for prolonged hours damages the back and spine, and people with desk jobs are bound to suffer from back pain of some sort. It may not show signs and symptoms immediately, but back pain is bound to creep up soon enough.
Higher Risk Of Cancer
Sitting for long hours has also been linked to an increased risk of colon, lung, and breast cancer. People who spend too many hours in the sitting position must be aware of the benefits of exercise, standing, and taking frequent breaks from sitting so that they may become more active.
Increased Anxiety
Sitting all day long and staring at a screen can make a person feel isolated and lonely. It can often disrupt your sleep, and lack of sleep can make a person more anxious and irritable. People who spend too many hours sitting should get up and move around to prevent themselves from feeling isolated and limited to one position.
Benefits Of Using A Gaming Chair
Due to the above-mentioned disadvantages of prolonged sitting and the risk associated with sitting in the correct posture, it has been seen that investing in a gaming chair can have many benefits and can decrease the risks of musculoskeletal problems as well as postural and other health issues. Here are the benefits of using a gaming chair:
The Promote Good Posture
Gaming chairs are designed to align the natural curve of your spine with the gaming chair to provide the maximum level of comfort and ease. They have adequate back and lumbar support to reduce postural and spinal problems and provide the spine's best support.
They Provide Adequate Arm Rest
Armrests allow the elbows and forearms to rest at right angles to the body, reducing any strain and adding to the chair's comfort level. These chairs often include a footrest as well to provide more comfort and minimize muscle fatigue
They Provide Increased Comfort
The chairs are made of premium quality fabric that is padded to conform to the shape of your body while you sit and keeps you cool due to its breathable material. Hard seats can be very uncomfortable and do not distribute your weight evenly, resulting in an overall painful experience on the seat.
They Are Adjustable
The chairs are adjustable. Their height can be altered, the back can be reclined, and the head and armrests can be added or removed. There may also be a footrest included. The more adjustable a chair is, the more you can tweak it according to your needs and make it as comfortable as you want.
They Increase Concentration And Improve Your Gaming Experience
Being comfortable in your seat improves your concentration on the game and improves your gaming experience. You aren't preoccupied with aching back, strained neck, or wrist pain. Ergonomic gaming chairs are designed to align with your body's needs and encourage you to sit in the best possible posture, reducing the strain on your body. Sitting in incorrect postures can increase muscle fatigue, tightening of the muscles, and discomfort, which can be very distracting and damaging for the body in the long term.
They Are Multifunctional
Gaming chairs have to be used not only for gaming but for other purposes, such as an office chair, a study chair, or just a chair that you can use in your living room when watching tv or socializing with friends. Don't worry; your gaming chair is not limited to use during gaming only and will not be a waste if you buy one.
The Disadvantages Of Gaming Chairs
The drawbacks of getting gaming chairs are that they can be expensive and also encourage longer gaming sessions. Since they are more comfortable, gamers tend to spend more hours on it than they would on a less comfortable chair. But it is still more beneficial for your body to sit in a proper gaming chair than a chair that causes you to slouch while sitting and has a hard and uncomfortable seat.
The Final Word
Gaming chairs are the best investment for gamers as they spend extended hours sitting and playing video games. Sitting for prolonged hours and in the wrong posture can cause various health problems that can not show signs immediately but are damaging in the long term. It is important to make sure that you take precautions from an early time and invest in good quality ergonomic gaming chairs to avoid serious health problems in the future. FlexiSpot has fantastic ergonomic gaming chair options on its website that you can choose from.
